Game-board



Patenfed Dec. 27, I898.

W. W. PHARES.

GAME BOARD.

{Application filed Feb. 28, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Unite STATES 'rniv'r IVILLIAM IV. PHARES, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,557, dated December27, 1898.

Application filed February 28, 1898. Serial No. 672,018. (No model.)

To It whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. PHARES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented anew and useful Game- Board, of which the following is aspecification. I

My invention relates to a game apparatus, and particularly to that classwherein is employed a table or board upon which games are played bymeans of balls and pins, the special object of the invention being toprovide a game apparatus employing stationary and movable objects, thelatter preferably consisting of a ball and being adapted to receive itsimpulse from a cue-ball, which is in turn actuated by a one or anequivalent thereof, the cue-ball after imparting an impulse to the object-ball being restrained from traversing the playing-surface of thetable or board, while the object-ball is designed for contact with thestationary objects to count as in tenpins and like games employingobjects which are normally stationary, but are adapted to be displacedor knocked down.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatusconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is atransverse section on the line a a of Fig. 3.

Similar. numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

The preferred embodiment of my invention includes a table, of which theplaying-board l is provided with suitable supports or legs 2; but itwill be understood that in practice the device,- when made of a portablesize, may be constructed as a board adapted to be supported by anysuitable device, such as a table of ordinary construction. In thedrawings the table is illustrated as having enlarged terminal portionsconstituting an initial or starting area 3 and a goal or receptacle l,and the intermediate portion of the board is provided with a narrowplaying-surface 5, which projects into the goal or receptacle, of whichthe bottom is depressed below the plane of the playing-surface, asclearly shown in Fig. 2. Communicating with this depressed pocket areraces 6, communicating contiguous to the starting area with ball-pockets7, adapted to receive the obj ect-ball 8 after it has been projected tothe upper end of the playing-surface and has returned for subsequentuse, the return of the object-ball to one of the pockets 7 beingaccomplished by a slight inclination of the races. Any suitablestationary objects, such as pins 9, are adapted to be arranged upon theupper end of the playing-surface, as shown in the drawings, and it isobvious that when these objects are displaced they are adapted to bereceived by the depressed enlargement of the table which constitutes thepin-pocket a.

Transversely spanning the surface of the playing-board, preferably atthe point of communication of the starting area with theplaying-surface, is a baffle-bar 10, having an upwardly andinwardlyinclined under surface, of which a portion is spaced from theplaying-surface an interval slightly less than the diameter of theobject-ball, whereby when the latter is introduced beneath the bafflebarfrom the front side thereof it is adapted to be held frictionally in theposition in which it is placed, and yet may be readily dislodged andimpelled forwardly upon the playingsurface by a blow applied, to therear side thereof, as by a cue-ball 11, which is designed to traversethe starting area only and is of such a diameter as to be prevented frompassing under the bathe-bar. Forinstance, when the cue-ball is of thesame diameter as the object-ball (the rear side of the latterwhenengaged by the baflie-bar projecting slightly beyond the rear edge ofsaid bar) the impact of the cne-ball when projected against theobject-ball from a point within the starting area will dislodge theobject-ball and cause it to roll forwardly upon the table, whereas thecue-ball, striking against the baffle-bar, will remain in the startingarea. A

one 12 or equivalent actuating device maybe used for communicatingmotion to'the cueball, and as the races are depressed below the plane ofthe playing-surface it is obvious that the object-ball must receive animpulse in a-direction to maintain it upon the playing-surface in orderthat it may reach the stationary objects located at the remote end ofsaid. surface.

A variety of games maybe played by means of the apparatus constructed asabove described, the same involving the use of any desired number ofstationary objects or pins, and the count for a game being made inaccordance with the rules governing other pin gamessnch as tenpins,ninepins, cocked hat, &c.or in accordance with any other rules which maybe adopted.

As a means of preventing the glancing of the ball or of the pins whenencountered by the ball the goal or receptacle is preferably inclosed bymeans of a cage or reticulated guard 13, the side walls or rails of theboard being elevated contiguous to said receptacle, and said guard orcage preferably having a top, as illustrated, as well as side and frontwalls. Also in the front wall of the receptacle is arranged a door 14,whereby access may be had to facilitate the placing of the stationaryobjects prior to a play.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted To without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. 7

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A game-board having aplayingsurface and a starting area arranged in a common plane to betraversed by rolling objects, and spanned at their point ofcommunication by a baffie-bar to serve as a continuous stop to prevent arolling object, traversing the starting area, from passing to theplaying-surface, substantially as specified.

2. A game-board having a playing-surface and a starting area adapted tobe traversed by rolling objects, and spanned at their point ofcommunication by a transverse baffle-bar which is spaced from the planeof said surfaces a distance less than the diameter of a rolling objectlocated upon the starting area, substantially as specified.

3. A game-board having a playing-surface and a starting area adapted tobe traversed by rolling objects, a transverse bafile-bar spanning theboard at the point of communication of its playing-surface and startingarea to prevent the passage of rolling objects from one surface to theother and having a beveled under side, under which an objectball may bearranged to receive an impulse from a rolling object traversing thestarting area, substantially as specified.

4. A game-board having a playing-surface and a starting area, abattle-bar transversely spanning and parallel with the board at thepoint of communication of the playing-surface with the starting area,and disposed at an interval from the plane of the playingsurface tofrictionally engage and hold an object-ball between its under side andthe surface of the table, and to prevent a ball on the starting areafrom passing onto the playing-surface, substantially as specified.

5. A game-board having communicating playing and starting areas, and acontinuous obstacle, interposed between the playing and starting areasand parallel therewith, for preventing a rolling object from passingfrom the starting area to the playing area, and constructed to allow anobject on the starting area to strike and impart an impulse to an objectupon the playing area, substantially as specified.

6. A game-board having a playing-surface, a communicating starting area,and a continuous bar, interposed between the starting area and theplaying-surface, for preventing a rolling object from leaving thestarting area, while allowing an object thereon to project under the barsufficiently to strike and impart an impulse to an object upon theplaying-surface, substantially as specified.

7. A game-board having an elongated playing-surface communicating at oneend with a starting area and terminating at the other end in a depressedpocket or receptacle, and adapted to support stationary objects, a guardoverhanging and covering said depressed pocket or receptacle andextending forward to overhang the adjacent end of said playing-surface,and an obstacle interposed between the starting area and theplayingsurface, for preventing a rolling object traversing the formerfrom passing to the latter,

substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM PHARES.

Witnesses: j

CHARLES E. Wrrr, JOHN MUNGAVIN.

ICO

